Nurture Principles

Today, May 6, 2011 is International “no diet day”. That’s right – there’s actually a day for people who refuse dieting and hopefully help raise awareness of dieting’s physical, mental, and emotional dangers.

“No Diet Day” is an annual celebration of body acceptance and body shape diversity. (YAHOOOOOO!!!) This day is also dedicated to promoting a healthy life style and raise awareness of the dangers and futility of dieting. International No Diet Day is observed on May 6 (TODAY!)

Here are three reasons not to diet:

• They don’t work. A 2007 UCLA study showed 86% of people who diet regain the weight back and more
• They are associated with negative body image and emotional problems that can lead to depression, a serious psychological disorder that must be treated (one in four women suffer from depression)
• You don’t need them. You have MORE POWER over your health and wellness than you THINK! You can change. You can live TRULY healthy and balanced without depriving yourself of the nutrients your body needs and the pleasures your body wants.

If you’re stuck in the “all or nothing” on-a-diet, off-a-diet cycle, you can get out of it and make peace with yourself and with food. And you can let go of that negative struggle that you don’t need. Just start. Do one small thing today.

Celebrate “No Diet Day” By:

• Stop kicking your own ass. Refuse to talk or think “bad” or negatively about yourself today (then make it two, three). If you catch yourself, replace that negative “bash” with the honest truth about yourself. Be genuine and kind to yourself.
• Get rid of any diet books you have lying around. They make great kindling for your next camping trip.
• Go through your closet and get rid of any unrealistically small clothes that you bought because you were smaller “for a minute” or you hoped you’d fit into one day. Someone who is genetically smaller than you will greatly benefit from your generosity.
• Rid your fridge and pantry of fat free, low fat, reduced and otherwise tasteless diet food. I bet it’s also processed and really not that nourishing anyway. If you really love it, then buy the full fat version and enjoy.
• Write a love letter to yourself. Be honest about how good it will feel to “let go” of the dieting mindset that rules your life.
• Pick one food that you LOVE and you feel is “unhealthy” — and eat it! Savor and enjoy each bite without any sort of guilt. (that’s the hard part) Make choices about how much you need to feel satisfied and what else you think your body may need with the meal for additional nutrition. (example: pizza? why not get veggies on it and pair with some delicious and nutritious greens, topped with herbs, olive oil, and red wine vinegar)
• Print the “me first” pledge and take action on self-care focused goals. Post the “me first” badge on your website. Use the #mefirst hash on Twitter
• If you blog, write a blog or leave a comment here about your dieting journey. I’d love to hear it. You can also display the no diet day ribbon on your post. Grab below:

Make no mistake. Ditching diets is not giving up on being unhealthy. It’s the opposite. It’s embracing the truth that diets are harmful and cause more problems than they solve.

Ditching diets is about taking an honest look at your life, your habits, your preferences and reflecting on what truly is balanced. Maybe you do need to learn more about nutrition. Invest in yourself. See a registered dietitian who helps people manage weight without dieting (like me!) Maybe you need to find motivation to exercise so it’s fun again and feels good. Maybe there is too much stress in your life and you are coping with emotional eating or skipping workouts or drinking too much. Maybe you need to develop healthy boundaries with your eating and exercise habits. That doesn’t mean you need to diet.

Whatever it is, you CAN commit to self-care. You just have to accept that self-care is THE ONLY ANSWER to living a truly balanced and healthy life.

That’s why I started the “me movement” in the first place. It’s for people who are trying day in and day out to embrace self-care and ditch the diet mind and those who are already living it. And if you feel inspired, share that inspiration with someone else. Pass it on.

Who knows, maybe this “no diet” day is the start of your “no diet” life.

Peace, love, and health!

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In celebration of MOMS, I’m starting a list of free gift ideas for mothers day! Of course, my #1 idea is the gift of the “mefirst” mindset! I bet there isn’t a mom out there who does not feel at least a little bit guilty about taking time for themselves. Of course, the #mefirst die hards know that it’s like the airplane oxygen mask. You secure your own and then help those around you. Anyone who has felt that good mood, boost of energy, or elevation that comes with self-care, you know what I’m talking about. Why don’t we make sure the moms in our lives get that experience?

What Can I Do?

You can give them permission to take time for themselves. Get them to see rest, exercise, stress management, and eating well as self-care. Get them to envision how much more productive, successful, and happier they will be if they make time for themselves. Let them know no matter where they are at right now, they can take steps for more balance in their life.

We’ve Got Tools

Print out the “me first” pledge and give it to them. Tell them you will be there for them. Talk with them about their health and wellness goals. Let them know ways you can help them get there. Co-sign their “me first” commitment pledge. And be their BIGGEST cheerleader. (rah rah rah)

Other Free Ideas

Here are just a few other ideas I have for free “thank yous” to moms.

• Send a handwritten card or letter and let them know how much you value her
• Spend a few hours cleaning and organizing a room for her
• Babysit so she can go workout or get some rest
• Compile some of your favorite recipes, make one for her and give her the other recipes

What other free ideas do YOU have? Post ‘em in the comments.

Have you signed the “me first” pledge yet?

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It’s not too late for hosting a Cinco de Mayo party. It’s a great time for Mexican “tapas” — think finger foods like tacos, and lots of crunchy veggies like jicama! Here’s a very simple and easy way to prepare a jicama for the party.

Jicama Slices with Lime Juice & Chile Powder

1 medium jicama, peeled, quartered, and sliced about 1/4 inch thick
Juice of 2 limes
Ground mild red chile powder to taste
Salt to taste

Arrange the jicama on a platter and douse with the lime juice. Sprinkle with chile powder and salt and serve.

Advance Preparation: The jicama can be tossed with the lime juice, chile powder, and salt in a bowl and refrigerated for several hours before arranging on a platter. Cover with plastic so the jicama doesn’t dry out.

Sliced jicama can also be held in a bowl of water in the refrigerator for a couple of days.

Per Portion: Calories 12, Fat .05g, Saturated 0, Cholesterol 0, Protein 0, Carbohydrate 3g, Fiber 0, Sodium 2mg.
Serves 12

Take a #mefirst approach to planning your party!
Just invite a few guests over for an impromptu party! Get help from the grocery store with guacamole, bean dip, and salsa. Then spend time on one or two recipes to really “wow” your guests like this pineapple and cucumber guacamole.

Check out my video from my Let’s Talk Live TV appearance where I go over these quick and healthy ideas.

Most people think Cinco de Mayo is Mexican Independence Day… but it isn’t. Cinco de Mayo commemorates unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. In the U.S. we celebrate it as a way of honoring Mexican culture and food. (and probably another excuse to have an ice cold Mexican beer or margarita!)

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By: Rebecca Scritchfield

Today is going to be a great day! That’s because I get to do what I love best… talk! (LOL, seriously, I was voted “most talkative” in middle school and high school). No. What I love best is engaging people and helping them think differently about their health and wellness. I want people to see their daily choices about nutrition, exercise, and managing stress as self-care. Unfortunately, we don’t. Most women (97%) spend most days “bashing” the way they look. We don’t get any help from certain forms of media either. Take this month’s issue of Marie Claire. They published self-proclaimed “nutritionists” daily food journals. One woman starved herself all day and then binged on fruit, smoothies, and a box of macaroons once she finally let herself eat at dinner time. That’s disordered. Period. And any real nutrition expert with proper training would be able to tell you that (as if you couldn’t figure that out for yourself!)

So today is going to be a great day! Today I get to speak with influential women and clear the air. I’ll bust some serious myths about healthy eating… such as “eating after 7p.m. causes weight gain”. I’ll take them on a “flavor tour” tasting four different chocolates and documenting flavor notes. (This is a stealth way of teaching mindful eating, using all their senses. Savoring chocolate and choosing your favorite based on taste, not a food label.) I’ll show them how they can start with any food and “add nutrition” by adding veggies, nuts or seeds, beans, and herbs. We’ll also make a vitality fruit smoothie (banana split flavor – oh yeah!) using the approach of “add nutrition” – and the best part is I’ll be working with a 12 year-old girl (the granddaughter of the President of the women’s group).

I get so excited about every speaking engagement like it is the best one I’m going to do. I realize that I might only have an hour of their time. But a lot can happen in an hour. I hope to bring a more positive message about health, wellness, and body image to the group. I hope to change at least one person’s life today.

(And one other cool thing… yet totally unrelated… I’m speaking after George Bush! I won’t even run into him as we are in different rooms. This meeting boasts a list of major “world class” speakers Dennis Miller, Steven D. Levitt author of Freakonomics, Veteran Democratic political strategist Donna Brazile… just to name a few! I kinda can’t believe I’m part of this meeting.)

Learn more about my speaking: www.nurtureprinciples.com and my online community for self care the “ME” movement on Twitter @ScritchfieldRD and #mefirst

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By Carlene Helble-Originally published on Carlene’s Figments

Well Marie Claire, you’ve really done it this time.

Under the false pretenses of showing what ‘nutrition experts’ eat, you’ve perpetuated the nutrient devoid, detox loving, eating habits of dieters (and in one case, practically an eating disorder) who are not experts.

In the May, 2011 issue of Marie Claire, the magazine published the article “I’ll Have What She’s Having” which promised to show ‘top nutritionists and what they eat’. The next line read ‘Spoiler alert! Wine, cheese, and chocolate ahead’. At first I was intrigued, thinking this would be a great article to show how registered dietitians are not diet dilusional and eat balanced meals with moderated indulgences.

Wrong.

Meet nutritionist number one, who is by far the worst of the bunch. Her credentials note that she is a certified clinical nutritionist (meaning, she took and passed this 56 hour online course) but her website is really the icing on the cake with the url Detox the world.com. Here’s her average day eating plan:

BREAKFAST

• Lemon tea with fresh, raw grated ginger, a squeeze of lemon, and Stevia to taste (a natural, calorie-free sweetener), 24 fl oz — 3 calories*

• Mountain Valley Spring Water, 16 fl oz — 0 calories

LUNCH

• Nothing

DINNER

• One small watermelon — 230 calories

• Two cantaloupes — 376 calories

• Two bananas — 200 calories

• Smoothie (pineapple, avocado, kale, alfalfa sprouts, coconut water, mint) — 366 calories

DESSERT

• Box of Salud macaroons, 4.5 oz — 604 calories

TOTAL DAILY CALORIES: 1,779

Let’s break down the numbers, shall we? Nutritionist number one back-loaded her calories, consuming 100% of them at dinner and after meaning zero fuel for her daily activities and exercise. She ate only fruit with a smattering of veggies, no protein, whole grains, or fat (save the lone avocado in the smoothie), then proceeded to consume an entire box of macaroons (aka sugar) which was her body’s way of saying“I’m starving. I need energy and fast.” She concedes that her diet is not for ‘beginners’ but realistically, this diet is not appropriate for anyone whether they are an ‘advanced dieter’ (ugh) or not.

Besides the problem I have talked about before with the lack of credentials (Note: Thankfully there is at least 1 RD in the bunch.), the other problem I have with this  article is the posting of height and weight. The concern is that readers will use the lowest weight they can find as a way of giving credibility. The nutrition ‘expert’ discussed above is the lowest weight and has the most extreme diet. Please, Marie Claire readers, don’t take that as expertise, but take it for what it is: disordered eating.

Small parts of the article were good, with balanced diets full of a variety of fruits, vegetables and protein sources. One expert even refused to give her weight citing her lack of scale use, and her support of intuitive eating. That’s what this article should have been.

I won’t be having what Marie Claire is having. Are you up for a second serving?

-Carlene

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I’d been sick for weeks: fainting at inappropriate times (hello, right after my first kiss with a longtime crush), coughing until voiceless, throwing up mid-shower, etc.  But I couldn’t do anything about it because the triumvirate of my day job (high school teacher, coach, and student activities director) needed all of my attention.  My classes needed teaching, my students needed mentoring, the soccer team needed coaching, the pep rally needed planning. You get the picture.

At some point, being sick became too much.  I made a doctor’s appointment.  For my planning period.  Because giving up a day for my health was too much to ask.  If I missed a day, what would happen to my kids?

After the appointment, I darted to the pharmacy with plans to make it back in time for my last class.  But things went wrong.  As I made my way to the pharmacy counter, those familiar stars came fast and furious.  I passed out.

I woke up to firemen (was I dreaming?) hovering above me.

“We need an ambulance for Jane Doe,” someone yelled.

In the emergency room, a kind young doctor sternly warned me about working too much.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I thought.  Can I still make it to soccer practice?

A few days later- days that I worked because, seriously, if I took off from work, my kids would suffer and I couldn’t be that selfish- I was coughing up blood.  I drove to the hospital.  Because fate works this way: the same emergency room doctor was there.  He came in and shook his head.

“I’m willing to keep seeing you if you’re willing to keep landing yourself here.”

Holy crap, I thought.  I am doing this to myself.

I was too sick to work.  A day of recovery turned into a week, a week into another.

Meanwhile, I realized two things.  First, life keeps handing you the lesson you need until you learn it.  Fail to register what wisdom life has for you the first time and she turns the volume up to a crescendo.  The fainting spells should have gotten me to the doctor and engaged in self-care months earlier.  I ignored the lesson.  That first emergency room visit should have made me realize the importance of self-care and balance.  I ignored it again.  It was the blood that finally made me get it.  Loud enough?

Next, for all the worry I had about missing my students for one day of recovery, I ultimately missed weeks with them for my lack of self-care.  Suddenly, I realized the thing that was most important to me- caring for others- was only possible if I cared for myself first.

At some point, not putting yourself first catches up to you. You fall ill, you burn out, you tumble into despair or depression or a crevice so deep it feels impossible to scale. Put your self-care first on a regular basis, and the world expands exponentially for you, allowing you to give more than you ever imagined to the passions that drive your purpose.  My promise to myself was that I’d never make life blare that lesson again.  Can you make that same promise to yourself?

Rosie Molinary is the author of Beautiful You: A Daily Guide to Radical Self-Acceptance and Hijas Americanas: Beauty, Body Image, and Giving Up Latina.  You can find her on Facebook (Rosie Molinary) or Twitter (@rosiemolinary).

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Stacey from Biggest Loser Season 6 and I Can Do Fitness @BL6Stacey joined us for a #mefirst twitter party last night.

1. Q1: Why is it important to get help from family and friends when you are trying to live healthy? #mefirst
2. Q2. What “rewards” do you give yourself after reaching a goal, big or small? #mefirst
3. Q3: U lost some lbs on #BiggestLoser (how much?) and… what ‘s your top tips for maintaining #fitness or #weightloss?
   1. @scritchfieldRD: it doesn’t matter how much you lose. If you don’t change your mindset, you didn’t “gain” anything that will last.
4. Q4. What is your top tip for sticking to positive changes in your life? #mefirst
   1. BL6Stacey I made a committment to myself that I would make this a permanent change
5. Q5: what can we do to remind ourselves of our priority to take care of ourselves? #mefirst

Stacey said it best when she tweeted: “I have made healthy living a part of my #mefirst time so I can make sure that I am a better me for me and everyone else in my life.” Be sure to stay tuned with her site www.gofitnessproject.com. GET FIT…STAY FIT…LIVE FIT!

If you weren’t able to make it (or even if you were) we’d love to hear YOUR answer to those questions in the comments section! How are you finding sticking to your Me First Goals? Namaste!

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A fan of NBC’s The Biggest Loser, Stacey and her husband auditioned for the sixth season of the hit reality television show.   Weighing in at 221 pounds, Stacey and Adam were recognized as a force to be reckoned with; however, that strength and determination was seen as a big threat and ultimately resulted in their Week One elimination from the game.  Yet, that did not keep her from reaching her goal of losing 65 pounds, trimming down to a lean and strong 156 pounds in six months.  Nearly 2 ½ years later, Stacey has not only stayed committed to her new healthy lifestyle, but she is sharing those lessons with her community and throughout the Washington metropolitan area.

Since appearance on The Biggest Loser, Stacey launched I Can Do Fitness (www.icandofitness.com), a Northern Virginia based business offering a range of outreach events and programs to promote active, healthy lifestyles.   Stacey manages The GO Fitness Project, which she created as the centerpiece of the business broaden her reach back into the community to pay-forward the lessons learned on her journey toward total wellness.  As fitness coach, Stacey organizes boot camps, fitness challenges, and charity fundraisers to keep people motivated and inspired to LIVE FIT.

She has also partnered with several organizations in the area, serving as a Wellness Ambassador for The American Diabetes Association of the DC Metro area and has volunteered her time with many other schools and organizations in her community.  Stacey has shared her experiences as a guest speaker for the NBC4 Washington Health & Wellness Expo, Micron Technology, Harris IT Services Corporation, George Mason University, and Prince William Hospital.  Stacey is the fitness contributor for All Tressed Up and has been featured in many publications including TV Guide, I Am Modern Magazine, The Washington Post, and NeverSayDiet.com and several from The Biggest Loser cookbook and exercise series.  Stacey has also appeared on The Today Show, The Billy Bush Radio Show, WUSA 9 News (Washington, DC), and WPGC 95.5 FM (Washington, DC).

Even with her hectic schedule and being a busy mother of two, Stacey continues to stay active by training for races. She has completed two half marathons and several triathlons.  Stacey has started a personal challenge to complete eleven (11) triathlons in 2011, more than doubling the five she completed last year 2011.   Her motto is “GO hard…FINISH strong!“  She says, “I’ll not likely ever compete [in a race] to be in contention for a prize; but, that doesn’t mean I don’t think I can win. ” She will be tweeting from @bl6stacey. Rebecca Scritchfield will be moderating at @ScritchfieldRD

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Being a member of the fitness and wellness community (however you imagine it or whomever yours consists of) will almost always bring vastly diverse attitudes and philosophies about what it means to “live well.”  Of course most of us can agree that healthy living is a “lifestyle” – but it’s easy to forget that there are many competing definitions of what it means to have a healthy lifestyle.

For the purposes of transparency, I do not subscribe to restricted eating in any way nor do I believe that one has to torture themselves by giving up good foods until they have convinced themselves that they’re better off without them.  Not too long ago, I wrote a post about my weight loss journey and it is important to note that my healthy lifestyle never included food restriction or “dieting.”  Going “paleo” for 30 days, or giving up gluten (without a wheat allergy to justify it) doesn’t make you any stronger or make your will power shine like a diamond in the summer sun.  In my humble opinion, it takes far more strength, energy and will power to learn how to co-exist happily with all good, whole foods and allow them to have a place in your kitchen and on your table.  It also takes great strength and energy to learn moderation for those foods that might have once held your will-power hostage.

Yesterday was Easter Sunday.  Both my boyfriend and I hail from Polish Roman Catholic families, so we know that traditionally, Easter means Jesus and food – and a lot of both.  Personally for me, Easter also means one of my absolute favorite candies in the entire world: Reeses Peanut Butter Eggs!  *insert squeals of glee*  Now, I don’t eat candy often.  On the average day, candy doesn’t have a place in my daily intake.  Why? Because it’s not a food that fills me up or makes me feel energized.  If I’m hungry I’d rather eat foods that nourish my body (especially because I have an intense workout regimen).  My candy consumption consists of a few bars of dark chocolate (70% cacao) reserved for “that time of the month.”  But this doesn’t mean that once, twice, three times a year I can’t enjoy 1 or 2 pieces of amazingly delicious candy.  Especially when I plan for the extra 340 calories (oh my gosh YES, two peanut butter eggs are that many calories).

And ya know what? Even if I *didn’t* plan to consume those extra calories – one day out of a lifestyle that sees good habits of regular exercise and good, clean eating is not going to set me back.  And it won’t set you back, either.  You’re not going to gain weight from a peanut butter egg on Easter. You’re not going to slip back into obesity if you have a couple pieces of kielbasa and a pierogie (oh how I love my Polish family).  All you need to do is remember that as the holiday comes, so too it shall pass and back to our daily lives we return.  I’ll go back to the gym in the morning and after an intense training circuit, I won’t crave peanut butter eggs – instead, I’ll crave a delicious banana and a cup of yogurt.  But there’ll always be a place in my heart for sugary goodness, and I won’t sit and suffer unnecessary restrictions because the world is telling me that one peanut butter egg will send me back into a spiral of bad habits and obesity.  So, yes – healthy living is a lifestyle and no, it doesn’t take a “vacation” – but eating the occasional piece of candy isn’t unhealthy.  Putting yourself first is healthy.

In Health,

Amy

Twitter: @amy_Danger

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